Top Iranian commander: Hezbollah must remain armed for battle against Israel

Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Commander Mohammad Ali Jafari told state TV that Hezbollah will not lay down its weapons. “Hezbollah needs to remain armed in order to fight Israel, Lebanon’s enemy,” he explained.

Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Commander Mohammad Ali Jafari commented on the Syrian Army’s victory over ISIS on Thursday. According to Iranian state TV, Jafari said that Tehran will have a major role in the ceasefire that will end the bloody war in Syria.

Jafari also mentioned Hassan Nasrallah’s group in southern Lebanon. “Hezbollah needs to remain armed in order to fight Israel, Lebanon’s enemy,” he stated. “Naturally, they need to be equipped with the best weapons in order to protect Lebanon’s security- this matter is non-negotiable.” Jafari added that the ballistic missile development program in his country, which Saudi Arabia strongly opposes, was designed solely for defensive purposes: “Iran will not discuss its defense programs and there won’t be any talks about them.”

The top Iranian commander then criticized French President Emmanuel Macron, who recently called for negotiations regarding Iran’s ballistic program and demanded that Iran implement a “less aggressive” policy in the Middle East. According to Jafari, Macron made these statements because he is “young and inexperienced.”

Earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi responded to the Arab League’s statement condemning Tehran and Hezbollah, calling the move “worthless.” He added that such statements fail to resolve the crises in the Middle East, according to the ministry’s website.